Synopsis

The better and faster learner wins. That is the clear conclusion that the authors reach in this detailed analysis of why many Western companies fail in their attempts to succeed in China, one of the fastest growing markets in the world and why many Chinese companies encounter difficulties in their overseas ventures.

Fundamental errors are made; lessons from the experience of others ignored and the lack of adequate advance planning are just some of the pitfalls to be avoided. This book is intended to help Western companies and executives avoid the common mistakes and to assist their understanding of what is required to make a success of venturing into China, and vice versa, Chinese companies and executives coming onto the world stage.

Facts speak for themselves. The book draws on extensive interviews with both Chinese and Western executives and regulators and presents a series of detailed cases to illustrate what went wrong and why. The authors suggest what needs to be done to ensure success, particularly in terms of having learning and building corporate capabilities as the ultimate objectives for any proposed investment/venture.

Understanding the Chinese approach to business and being conscious of rules of the road are just two of the key elements.

By S. Hamilton, J. Zhang

... an interesting guide to understanding the Chinese way of doing business and how to prepare for the inevitable bumps that await any MNC in a market so fastgrowing, yet so different from the West. ...

— The Economic Times

A behind curtain look at the challenges of being successful in China.

— SAM - Originally published on Amazon.co.uk

Some new books on China worth looking at - The second book on my list is Doing Business with China: Avoiding the Pitfalls by Stewart Hamilton and Jinxuan Zhang (publisher: Palgrave Macmillan January 2012)...

— LIS Trends

... a quick scan immediately identified it as standing out from the usual run-of-the-mill publications with similar titles... I have tried here to highlight the rare “warts and all” flavour ... that will persuade doubters to take the leap of faith and read it..

— Andrew Williamson, originally published on dialogin

If you wish to learn about Doing Business with China, buy. You’ll read up-to-date, well written and varied real-life cases about foreign and Chinese companies doing business in this fast-changing and dynamic market. The overall message is be pragmatic, learn as you go, adapt. China’s patriarch, Deng Xiao Ping said, ‘learn from facts’. You can’t fail to learn much from this excellent book.

— Jonathan Story, Emeritus Professor of International Political Economy, INSEAD

As someone who has ‘done business in China’ during my career, I can highly recommend this book to anyone intending to do the same. Hamilton and Zhang have penetrated beyond clichés and theory to offer a real ‘hands on’ guide of what it takes to play and win in this increasingly critical market and, in turn, work with Chinese companies internationally. China offers a huge goldmine of opportunity in the 21st century but prospectors would do well to heed the pragmatic lessons of this book as they pursue their ambitions.

— Peter Yorke, Global Marketing Director, Procter & Gamble

Doing Business with China offers a crash course in understanding the cultural differences between Chinese and Western business practices and how vital it is not to underestimate these. It is supported by factbased insights into recent high-profile case studies which make this a valuable and entertaining read for anyone venturing into or doing business with or in China.